Pages

Friday, December 9, 2016

Hi There! Today, I have a set of three Rustic, Wintry Cards using the Creative Embellishments chipboard Reindeer Set. I just love the combination of blue, brown and white for a wintry-look - so I've layered some older Bo Bunny papers with doilies, frayed burlap, cheesecloth and corrugated cardboard and added some burlap twine to the tag elements to create a rustic/shabby look for these cards. I used DecoArt Snow-Tex to add the snow and then splattered everything with watered-down white gesso. The plain chipboard reindeer were already the perfect colour for these cards - so I simply inked the edges of them of Distress Ink in Ground Espresso and added a little 'snow' to their antlers and hooves!

Thursday, December 1, 2016

It is December already!!! How did that happen?!?! The first of the month means a new challenge is up at the Creative Embellishments blog! I just love this month's Inspiration Photo - isn't it gorgeous? And the twist for this month's challenge is to add something that dangles to your project.

I was inspired by all the silver and 'glittery' nature of the inspiration photo and created this Wintry Mixed-Media Tag.

I used one of the Creative Embellishments Chipboard Lamp Posts and a few snowflakes from the Large Snowflake Set to decorate the tag. I glued the chipboard pieces in place and then painted everything with a coat of white gesso. Next, I added another coat of white gesso but mixed in some Prima Mini Art Stones with the gesso to get a 'snowy' look to the tag. I misted everything with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists in Marshmallow and Denim Blue. Once I was happy with the misting, I added some colour using Prima Art Alchemy Acrylic Paints. I used Pure Sunshine paint to add the 'light' and glow to the tag; I used Silver Spoon to paint the Lamp Postand I used Light Patina on the snowflakes. I finished off the chipboard snowflakes with some Prima Glass Glitter in Sterling and some Fairy Dust glitter (added using Soft Matte Gel). For the challenge's twist, I added a silver snowflake charm dangling from the tag's ribbon - I used plain white Seam Binding and also coloured some seam binding with the Denim Blue mist to create the bow for this tag. The quote is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Here are some more angles/close-ups!

I hope this project inspires you to play along with the Creative Embellishments challenge this month! Be sure to follow the Challenge Rules so that you're eligible to win the $50 Gift Certificate to the Creative Embellishments store!

Please add your entry to our InLinkz box on the Creative Embellishments blog to be eligible for the prize. You have until the last day of each month 11:55 pm eastern time to enter.

It is required that you mention in your blog post that you are playing along at Creative Embellishments together with a link back to our blog. Please make sure to reference our challenge. Please no back linking.

Combining with other challenges is permitted.

We would love to see you USE AT LEAST 1 CE product on your project but it isn’t required to play along. However everyone that does will get and extra chance at winning.

WINNERS will have 2 weeks to claim their prize. The winner will be announced on this post the day after the challenge ends. Keep an eye out to see if you are a winner.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Hi there! Today I'm sharing an altered project with you! One of my favourite things is to take something old and upcycle it - so when I saw this chipped/broken rocking horse at a second hand store, I knew I could make it beautiful again!

Along some buttons, trim and resin & metal embellishments from my stash, I've used Creative Embellishments Mini Frames (some whole and some cut into pieces) and the larger of the Fancy Oblong Frame Set (cut into two pieces) to decorate the rocking horse. I also added Relics & Artifacts Chivalry Wings and an Imperial Egg decorative piece as the headpiece. Once I had all the embellishments in place I covered everything with a few coats of heavy white gesso. Then, I used Prima Art Alchemy Acrylic Paints to highlight details of the decorations - the trick here is just to play with colour until you're happy! Lastly, I dry brushed areas with gold paint to give it a rich, vintage look. Lots of pictures below so you can see all the details!

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Today, I'm sharing a set of Christmas Ornaments I made using the Creative Embellishments chipboard Stars Frame, along with Graphic 45's St. Nicholas collection. I trimmed the two smaller stars off the largest Star Frame and then embossed the three frames with Stampendous Embossing powder in Detail Gold. I used some of the 6x6 St. Nicholas papers on the back of the chipboard stars to create the base for the ornaments - the patterned side faces the back so that the back of the ornaments are pretty to look at too. I used lots of fussy-cuts from the 8x8 St. Nicholas Papers and pieces from the St. Nicholas Banners sheet to decorate the Star ornaments and then finished the embellishing with some Creative Embellishments Wood Veneer Holly Leaves and some ribbon. I painted the Holly Leaves with metallic paints and then added some Christmas Red Stickles to the holly berries for a dash of glitter.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

In October, I played along with an ATC exchange on the Scraps of Darkness/Scarps of Elegance Facebook Group. I created this set of three ATCs using the Materialize 8x8 paper stack, Curiosities Ephemera and Embellishments by Tim Holtz. I inked all the papers with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. I added Distress Crackle Paint and a Tim Holtz Apothecary Vial Label to the glass vial on the 1st ATC. I added an Incantation Metal Word Band, Gothic Remnant Rubs and a small skull to the 2nd ATC. For the 3rd ATC, I added an Arrow Adornment, some spider webbing and a small plastic spider. I'm calling this set "The Poisoner's Handbook ATCs" because each card has some poison warning labels.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

It is a new month (How is it November already?!?!?) - which means a new challenge is up on the Creative Embellishments Blog. Here is this month's inspiration picture and the twist for this challenge is to use wood on your project!

I was inspired by the beautiful rich colours in the Inspiration picture to create these "Joie de Vivre" Vintage Tags. I used beautiful toile papers as the background with a leafy pattern. Playing along with the fashion theme of the other papers, I have used two pieces from the Creative Embellishments Mini Dress Form Set of 6 to embellish the tags. I painted the chipboard dress forms with Acrylic Paint in Antique White and then embossed them with some pink glitter and clear embossing powder - picking up on the glittery elements of the papers. For my wooden element, I've used two mini wooden clothes pins, which I coloured black and covered with Black Diamond Stickles so that they would be glittery too!

I hope this project inspires you to play along with the Creative Embellishments challenge this month! Be sure to follow the Challenge Rules so that you're eligible to win the $50 Gift Certificate to the Creative Embellishments store!

Please add your entry to our InLinkz box on the Creative Embellishments blog to be eligible for the prize. You have until the last day of each month 11:55 pm eastern time to enter.

It is required that you mention in your blog post that you are playing along at Creative Embellishments together with a link back to our blog. Please make sure to reference our challenge. Please no back linking.

Combining with other challenges is permitted.

We would love to see you USE AT LEAST 1 CE product on your project but it isn’t required to play along. However everyone that does will get and extra chance at winning.

WINNERS will have 2 weeks to claim their prize. The winner will be announced on this post the day after the challenge ends. Keep an eye out to see if you are a winner.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

This month the Creative Embellishments Design Team had the good fortune to work with some gorgeous products from Heartfelt Creations for a cross-promotion feature! So, I have an awesome 'album' project to share with you today!

Friday, October 21, 2016

Today I'm sharing a super-fun Halloween project created for the Creative Embellishments Design Team! I have been hoarding my Graphic 45 The Magic of Oz paper in my stash for ages and decided to haul it out and create this Illuminated Pumpkin Shadowbox using fussy-cuts from the papers and Creative Embellishments Chipboard pieces that were just perfect for this project! I started off with an Orange Craft Pumpkin with a Shadowbox cut-out. I painted the outside of the pumpkin with black gesso so I could have a two-toned pumpkin and really draw the eye to the bright orange inside. I added a string of LED lights (hidden at the top of the pumpkin) and two 'flickering candle' battery-operated tealights to light up the inside of the pumpkin - this looks so much more striking in real life! The photos don't do it justice! I also added two cute witch's legs I found at the craft store under the pumpkin - to look like a crushed witch!
I fussy cut the main characters, along with a bunch of other elements, from the papers to create the scene for the pumpkin. All the papers are inked along the edges with Black Soot Distress Ink. I started building the scene by putting some brown excelsior and graveyard moss in the bottom of the pumpkin. I used the Creative Embellishments Spiky Gate and Creepy Gates as the central elements to start building the scene around. I painted the gates with black gesso and then coated them with Crackle Accents. I also used a Creative Embellishments Poppy Cluster along the gates, which I painted with Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paints in colours similar to the poppies on the Graphic 45 papers.
I fussy cut the Wicked Witch and backed her on black cardstock for stability. I added a glitter pumpkin and small skull from my stash as "steps" for her so it looks like she's stepping out of the pumpkin. I finished off this section with a black fabric leaf, some graveyard moss and a bit cut from the Creative Embellishments Brick Pieces. I painted the bricks with Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint in Pure Sunshine and then smudged the Brick Pieces with Black Soot Distress Ink to make them look aged/worn.
Inside the pumpkin, I added the Scarecrow and his "Wanted - A Brain" sign. I made a "Broken Yellow Brick Road" using the Creative Embellishments Brick Pieces. I added lots of fussy-cut poppies and a compass, a small sugar pumpkin and a small skull around the Scarecrow's feet. The poppies hide the tealight in front of the Scarecrow. I also added a fussy cut Emerald City at the back of the pumpkin so that it looks like the Yellow Brick Road is leading around through the gates to the city.
I placed the Cowardly Lion behind the Spiky Gate and the Tin Man and Dorothy in front of and on either side of the Creepy Gates. I also fussy-cut the Oz circle as a closure for the Creepy Gates. The Wizard of Oz is suspended from the top of the pumpkin in his hot air balloon. I added a few of the Creative Embellishments Creepy Trees - you can see these tucked in behind the lion, in front of the balloon basket and behind the gate on the right side of the pumpkin. The trees were painted with brown acrylic paint and then coated with Crackle Accents. You can see the painted poppy cluster and some more fussy-cut poppies, as well as another small skull tucked in the back behind the Creepy Gates. The poppies in front of Dorothy hide the second tealight.
The title from the main page of The Magic of Oz collection fit perfectly across the top of the pumpkin's opening. I fussy-cut the title and backed it on some black cardstock - and after cutting it out (again) I inked the edges with Distress Ink in Black Soot. I also fussy-cut some flying monkeys and added them to the left side of the title and added a small fussy-cut compass to the right side.
I poured mod podge over the top of the pumpkin and let it run down the sides and then added lots of black glitter to create glitter drips all around the pumpkin. I used the Creative Embellishments Pumpkin Vine Flourishes to decorate the top of the pumpkin. I painted the pumpkin stem and vine flourishes with green acrylic craft paint and then coated them with crackle accents.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!
Hope you're having a Spook-tacular October!

Welcome to my Scrapbooking (and Crafts) blog! My name is Sarah and
I live in Ontario, Canada. I am a married, working mom to one beautiful little boy, who often (i.e. almost always) is the subject of my layouts! I started scrapbooking several years ago, and was immediately addicted. I absolutely love the creative process of putting together a scrapbook page, tag, or off-the-page project. I love trying different (non-traditional) materials and new techniques - especially mixed media. Although most of my work is layouts or altered items, I love using my scrapbooking supplies for other crafty projects, including canvases, tags, ATCs, home/seasonal decor, etc.